★★★★★
This Holiday Season you may become “irregular“ from festive meals. Don't waste money on harsh chemicals like Miralax which is pretty much antifreeze. First thing in the morning on a empty stomach juice, blend or eat 2-3 ribs of celery with a large glass of water and in no time you will be your regular self.
Dietary Changes
★★★★☆
I've spent a lot of years taking various things for constipation but recently found a video that describes what not to take; in other words things to eliminate from your diet. The author of the video said to eliminate grains, eggs and dairy and to start the day with a cup of warm lemon water. I tried this and it worked within 24 hrs. Basically I cut out bread and eggs but still had a bit of butter on my cooked veggies. I have since found that I can tolerate one or two eggs and bread slices per day. For dinner I have beef, pork or chicken with vegetables and fresh fruit for dessert. This has largely eliminated any constipation issues. I find it interesting that the solution was so simple.
★★★★★
Since switching to a low-carb vegetarian diet for health reasons, I've had issues with mild constipation. I found the suggestions on the Earth Clinic website very helpful and I started trying them. My constipation has now gone, I am able to have an easy bowel movement every morning which is soft and moist.
I previously found that I couldn't eat egg yolks because they would block me up, but this is no longer the case.
The remedies the worked for me are as follows, starting with the most effective and proceeding in order down to the least effective: - 1/4 tsp of bicarbonate soda dissolved in 1/4 cup of water 1 hour after each meal. This is one of the remedies recommended by Parhatsathid Nabadalung (aka Ted from Bangkok, Thailand) in his book pH Balanced for Life! The Easiest Way to Alkalize. -
1 tbsp of olive oil dissolved in 1/4 cup of water every morning, after my bowel movement and before my first meal. - Before each bowel movement, drink 1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt dissolved in 1 cup of warm water. - Eat some cucumber with every meal. I tried lots of other things including abdominal massage and eating coconut oil, but the above four worked the best for me. If anyone is interested in my diet, a typical meal for is 3 cups of vegetables with 2 boiled eggs, plenty of healthy fat (avocados, olive oil, coconut oil), and spices (garlic, ginger, turmeric etc). I drink plenty of plain water - I don't take other liquids.
Thank you to the people who run this site. You've helped me find a natural cure to my problem, which was causing me a lot of stress. I'm going to make a donation by way of thanks.
★★★★★
Re a post about caffeine curing constipation -
Just the opposite! Quitting caffeine CURES constipation. If you stop drinking all forms of caffeine, you will cure your dreaded constipation. Being an avid coffee drinker for 20 years, I always believed coffee was the only thing that would make me “go”, albeit only 2 times per week(so unhealthy). I read about curing constipation by eliminating all forms of caffeine, which I swore I would never do, but then I read about so many other healthy side effects like deeper sleep, clearer skin, in addition to bowel movement regularity, and decided it was more than worth a try after dealing with constipation for as long as I can remember. I weened myself off caffeine and by Day 4 I started having regular bowel movements every day. I also slept better than I have my entire life by Day 6.
Looking back to my teenage years and in my twenties, I drank a lot of Diet Coke and had no idea how that caffeine was effecting my health. When I stop to think about all the things constipation kept me from doing all these years, it sickens me. Getting off caffeine takes a couple weeks but it's so worth the effort. I used to have dark circles under my eyes and they are now gone, and I've only been off caffeine for a month! Another awesome side effect? No more nasty hangovers!
That's right, I work in the wine industry and always thought the wine was giving me hangovers, until I quit caffeine and discovered I could drink wine and feel fine the next day! It was the caffeine withdrawal that compounded the dehydration that always caused my hangover, not to mention the pesticides in coffee, etc.
Epsom Salt
★★★★★
Hi- am reporting in that Epsom salts (ES) are the stars - had tried Senna tea, fibre, flax seed, water, lemon etc etc but to no avail. Had trouble locating it - pharmacies in the UK don't seem to sell the raw ingredients any more, and when it finally arrived (ebay) I tried it and nearly threw up. This was probably from having done maybe too many liver cleanses and developing an aversion to the taste. Thanks to EC - someone had suggested putting some lemon juice to hide the taste (why didn't I think of that?! ) and it really did the trick - a few drops of lime juice and no ew before bedtime. The morning relief is amazing, I'm sleeping again and the tension has gone, I feel lighter, more vital and ready to take action!
★★★★★
I have tried numerous constipation remedies to create daily bowel movements as part of a detox protocol, but nothing worked consistently.
Until I read about drinking 1 liter of filtered water first thing in the morning when I woke up. It worked. After drinking my morning liter of water, I'll have an easy bowel movement usually within an hour or two. Sometimes just minutes. It used to be days. I don't know if the type of water is a factor, but I drink filtered mountain water where I live.
I do also have chronic health problems often characterized as Fibromyalgia which may be of some consequence.
Herbs
Hi Nat...I take senna leaf tea every once and a while, been doing that for many years. For me, if I drink senna tea in the evening then I will definitely have a substantial poop the next morning. My poop urgency isn't that huge and the poop itself comes out soft and quick but not explosively.
On the other hand when my wife drinks the senna tea then she will have a stronger poop urgency then me (yup, she runs to the toilet! ) and will have between 3 to 5 poops the next morning and they can be rather explosive. So my wife is quite sensitive to senna's effects in the intestines, whereas I seem to have few problems using the senna tea. Horses for courses, I guess.
I've also read that you must never take senna everyday because doing so will harm the liver. But once in a while is OK. I also like using senna because -- from all the research -- it also kills a wide variety of bad bacteria and parasites in the intestines.
I must also disagree with what you said about magnesium supplements in general in this thread. I've been taking magnesium chloride -- at a higher dosage -- twice a day for about 15 yrs. I also use mag chloride combined with DMSO for tired or aching muscles and I can confirm that it works a treat!
Ted is also quite correct when he says that we eat far too much calcium in our supermarket diets. All the grains, bread, corn flakes, sports drinks etc that you buy in the supermarket are all over-fortified with too much calcium and no magnesium. That's why I take magnesium chloride regularly, which helps to balance and regulate any excess calcium in the body.
And for sure you better be very careful what you are led to believe about RDA dosages from the FDA. About 50 years ago the advised dosage for magnesium supplements was only about 200 mgs per day. The RDA dosage that the FDA now recommend is between 350 mgs and 420 mgs per day, which I think is still way too low -- it's just a clueless guessing game for the FDA because they really don't give a single hoot about proper mineral nutrition for the body. That's also why, on some days, I take much higher dosages of magnesium. And if you take too much magnesium the worst that can happen to you is that you get loose stools or diarrhea. And the intestines and kidneys will always act to self regulate proper electrolyte levels(including magnesium) in the blood.
I'm 72 y.o. and I've been taking high dose magnesium chloride(and Borax) regularly for about 15 years. And that's probably why I have no arthritis, rheumatism or any other aches and pains in my body right now. And there are more than a few days when my combined magnesium intake is probably above 1000mgs per day. That gives me soft stools with no other noticeable side-effects. But I'm not you. So it's like I said, horses for courses. That means that you should always find the best dose for yourself. Call it your own, personalized, orthomolecular dose if you like...that's the way to do it because your body always knows best.
Green Iced Tea
★★★★★
I have tried many different remedies from an early age.....over the counter and natural.....for my lifelong battle with constipation and nothing last more than a few months. I started drinking organic green iced tea in place of water all day long, knowing that I will get the water that my body needs while enjoying the taste of the iced tea.(I hate plain water). After about 2-3 weeks I noticed that I was having a BM every morning and sometimes in the afternoon! Every day....no straining.
I have had this problem since I was a little girl. I am now 71 years old and wish I had found this organic green iced tea solution a long time ago.
Not sure this would work for everyone, but it sure works for me.
B1 (Thiamine)
Did a little experiment last week by not taking the vitamin B-1. Yup, the cement factory was back. Took 250 mg of B-1 and was softer by that afternoon! I also take Vitamin D, have for over ten years. Didn't help. The B-1 is what works for me.
Vitamin D
★★★★★
Vitamin D helps in constipation issues. It is better to take at least part in an oil based form since Vitamin D, an oil based vitamin, is better absorbed with fat.
Mayo Clinic's site states that people who are deficient can take about 50,000IU weekly for three months and then smaller amounts daily. They write that up to 4000IU daily is safe for people who are not deficient. It is reported that about 70% of people are Vitamin D deficient.
Other place recommend higher doses. They write that at times a 250,000 IU dose was given to children with rickets with no negative results. This high dosaging was given once in about three months.
Vitamin D should be taken with K2. (K2 keeps calcium in the bones and out of the arteries.)
Chia Seeds
★☆☆☆☆
WARNING!
SIDE EFFECTS: Caution with Chia Seeds (and Flax & Primrose Seeds) for those with HYPOtension (very LOW blood pressure)...
These seeds are known for their ability to reduce blood pressure via vasodilation- a good thing for folk with HYPERtension (=High BP), but the quick reduction can be dramatic- even dangerous- for those who live with very low blood pressure already.
Much as I loved them, I had to stop using chia becoz of this effect. Everytime I tried them, within minutes my allready low blood pressure would fall thru the floor: veins overly dilated, throbbing sensation in neck vein, dizzy, faint, anxious, knot in chest, breathless, fluttery heart, skipped beats, light & dark spots before eyes. Classic signs of blood pressure plunging too low, too fast.
Coconut Oil
"Die off" refers to when a "pathogen" (the broad word to describe any microbe, worm, candida, mold, etc.) is killed. often that pathogen will be a host to other pathogens, so when the host is killed, the pathogens that it supported will die and all these dead pathogens have to be removed by our body. Sometimes this can make us feel sick, flu like. Our kidneys and liver have to work hard to cleanse our body of all this yucky waste. It helps ALOT if we drink extra water and remain "regular" in the bathroom by whatever means necessary (enema, fiber pills, even laxatives for a short time). as always, try to "put the good stuff in (healthy food) and get the bad stuff out". Thank you E.C.!! This sight is refreshing and helpful.
Coconut Oil
My understanding is that coconut oil has antimicrobial properties and so there are toxins released as it kills off bacteria, viruses, etc. I would guess that candida would be included in this mix, but I'm no expert. When I started taking it I experienced headaches and flu-like symptoms. I felt pretty crappy so I cut back to where it was comfortable and worked up from there.
Castor Oil
★★★★★
What works for me for severe constipation is Castor oil. One tablespoon. But if you try it, take it only on a weekend you have off. Stay home because you don't know when it's going to work.Works on me like drain-O on a drain.
Molasses
★★★★★
As a suggestion if you take a teaspoonfull of blackstrap molasass a day, you will find your problems will end.. Plus the eradication of any hemorrhoids over a few days. Put it in your mouth and wash it down with fruit juice.
Baking Soda
Just a quick comment regarding baking soda and aluminum: There's no aluminum in baking soda. It can be found in baking POWDER, but not baking soda. :)
Dietary Changes
★★★★★
A very good remedy for constipation and heartburn is: peel and core apples (sweet or sour) put them in a freezer ziploc bag (add 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice 2 tablespoons of water/gal. bag) and freeze. They come out like really good applesauce and are well worth the time spent. Here in Ohio when winter rolls around the apples are 3x the price and have no flavor. If you suffer from chronic constipation and heartburn they will especially help if you eat before bedtime. Hope this helps someone. God Bless.
Dietary Changes
★★★★★
Hi. What I discovered years ago is a simple yet very effective and natural trick to be rid of constipation.
In the early evening (taken early in the day, you'll feel painful cramps) I eat 1 apple. By morning I have a very good BM. The 2nd night I have one more apple and usually the problem is gone.
IF this doesn't work at all over the first night; the 2nd evening I eat 2 apples.... for me its guaranteed it does work in the morning. Repeat the 2nd night too.
Apples are Fabulous for many reasons.
Acupressure
★★★★★
For constipation, I use an acupressure point in the arm. The point is found when you bend the arm - for example, place your right hand on your left shoulder. At the bend of the elbow, use your left hand to locate the acupressure point about halfway between the crease of the bend and the bone. Massage that point for about 15 seconds, then switch to the other arm. Back and forth. I also do this while standing. Usually works within 10 to 15 minutes at most. Also, I have cut out wheat and all gluten grains. I did not think I had a gluten problem but found out that I have that sensitivity.
★★★★★
I found that spot and I had instant relief from the pain of constipation as well as bloating. I think the two pressure points from the crease of elbow which is easy to find is all you need to massage and it stops pain.
Acupressure
★★★★★
a million thanks to you for the explanation on where to do the accupressure. people - IT WORKS.
I have a family member w/chronic constipation due to medication and most times things are working as I give flax seed, good yogurt, steel cut oatmeal, etc etc BUT sometimes the elimination is delayed I guess you'd say.
WELL, simply doing this right/left, twice had the results. What a relief to know this and not have to resort to other attempts with the milk of magnesium etc.
Apple Juice, Warm
★★★★★
I was bloated swollen, there was pain in my upper left rib cage, all the way around my back. I went to the ER thinking it was my gallbladder, thank God that it wasn't. I was told that I needed to poop! I was given magnesium citrate..it took almost 2 hours to work and it didn't bring out the beasts that were within me. I called my little brother who insisted that I try some apple juice. I took out a mug and filled it with apple juice and warmed it in the microwave. About an hour and a half later, I was on the free of poop list. It worked wonderfully. Left me feeling sluggish but well worth it. I'll continue to drink a cup of warm apple juice once a week to keep myself regular. I loathe medications, so this natural remedy is what I recommend.
Bentonite Clay
★☆☆☆☆
WARNING!
I digested Psyllium and Bentonite clay for a colon cleanse. This was to ruin my whole life and caused immediate gastritis and triggered rosacea/rhinophyma. The onset of symptoms was abrupt, immediate and extremely severe. I now have blepharitis and meibomitis as a result.
I was very stupid and digesting this product has ruined my whole life. DO NOT TAKE THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hot Tea
★★★★★
Have you ever stopped to think about chinese people how with every meal no matter what meal they have hot tea?? well the reason behind it is, when you eat food's that have fat or oils in them you usually drink COLD bevarages after right?? Well that causes the fats to sit and harden, causing many problems constipation, clogged arteries, many! So when you eat something, try to drink something hot along with it and see what happens.....bet you will poop right on time and won't be constipated.
Lemon Juice and Olive Oil
★★★★★
Wow, I tried this concoction and yes indeed it works. Just a TBSP of each in a small glass, gulp it down, late in the PM and low and behold the next AM we have a BM! haha Thanks for the great advice!